81 cases against Patanjali for violation of land laws: CM

Eighty-one cases have been registered against yoga guru Ramdev's Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust in Uttarakhand for gross violation of land laws, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said today.

The cases have been registered against the Trust for illegally encroaching 7.766 acres of gram sabha and government land in two villages -- Shatarshah and Aurangabad -- in Haridwar district over the past two years, he said.

Quoting from a report submitted by Haridwar District Magistrate Nidhi Pandey, Bahuguna told reporters here that the cases have been registered by the DM under different sections of the Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms (ZALR) Act and the Indian Stamps Act.

Out of a total of 81 cases, 29 have been registered under the ZALR Act and 52 under the Indian Stamps Act involving more than Rs 10 crore.

The process of instituting action against the Trust is on and in the next one week more cases can be registered against it, Bahuguna said.

Many benami transanctions of land in favour of the Trust have also been noticed, he said.

"Such transactions have already been identified and suitable action as per law is being taken to vest land involved in such transactions with the state," the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister said 387.5 acres of land was purchased by the Trust for establishing the Patanjali University but it has been set up only in an insignificant portion of the land while a large chunk of it is being used for agricultural purposes.

The administration has apprehension that this large chunk of land is being retained by the Trust for using commercially in the near future, he said.

Citing another instance of violation, Bahuguna said the Trust bought 84.86 acres of land in Mustafabad in the name of Patnajali Food and Herbal Park without permission from the administration.

Another 141.17 acres of land were brought by the Trust in Mustafabad for manufacturing ayurvedic medicines but this land is being used for production, warehousing and marketing of a whole range of Patnajali products including oil, soap, shampoo and toothpastes, the Chief Minister said.